Canada Deports Nigerian Mother, Taiwo Fayemi, 9 Children — Even as Her Child Battles Cancer

FORT ERIE, ONT. — Driving through a quiet neighbourhood in Fort Erie, Ontario, it is impossible to miss the home of the Fayemi family. Rows of chairs line the driveway, filled with high school students, teachers, friends, and members of the community the family has built over the past three years. Inside, Taiwo Fayemi frantically packs suitcases with all of her family’s belongings, fully aware that this may be her last day in Canada.

“It is traumatizing for me, I never ever ever dreamt this [day] will come,” Taiwo told CTV News. “Even the little kids ask me, ‘why are we packing?’ I could not tell them.”

Taiwo lives in Fort Erie with nine children, ranging in age from four to 19. Six are her biological children, and three are stepchildren. The situation is further complicated by Amirat Fayemi, one of the daughters, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in 2022. She remains in and out of hospital care in Windsor, Ontario.

“One of us has to stay — but they’re not allowing any of us to stay to donate our bone marrow for her,” said Amirat’s sister, Biliquees Fayemi, through tears. “And the hospital is now saying we are no longer covered by the government, and we have to pay out of our pockets.”

Nicole Arghandewal, a postgraduate law student at York University assisting the family, said Amirat’s condition is deteriorating. “Her condition is worsening, and she will very likely need stem cell or bone marrow donation from one of her siblings. If her siblings are deported, her chances of survival for this acute form of cancer are almost zero,” Arghandewal said.

The family fled Nigeria due to political threats. While on holiday in the United States in 2022, the children’s father, Afeez Fayemi, had to return to Nigeria due to political obligations. The family alleges that he was kidnapped because of his affiliation with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and remains in hiding. While the family was in the U.S., Amirat became critically ill and was airlifted to a hospital where she was diagnosed with leukemia.

Fearing for their safety and the lives of their children, Taiwo and her family crossed into Canada via Roxham Road, a well-known route for asylum seekers. Since their arrival, Taiwo worked as a personal support worker, while the children attended school and volunteered in their community.

“When I heard PSWs were highly demanded in Canada, I pushed myself to serve this country,” Taiwo said. “Despite all the kids I have, I still created time. I completed a program and was offered a job where I did my internship.”

Despite these efforts, the family’s refugee claim was denied. CBSA officers reportedly told Taiwo there was insufficient evidence that the family would be in danger if they returned to Nigeria. Later, the family submitted an application for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, which was received by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on March 3, 2025. However, the family claims that their deportation date was set before the application could be reviewed.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen in Nigeria. It’s like the government is sending us home in a body bag,” Taiwo said.

CBSA spokesperson Rebecca Purdy told CTV News, “CBSA has a legal obligation to remove all foreign nationals found to be inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The timely removal of inadmissible foreign nationals plays a critical role in supporting the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.”

Purdy added that submitting a humanitarian and compassionate application does not automatically delay deportation until stage 1 approval is granted. Certain legislated factors allow or deny access to these processes.

The Fayemi family’s story underscores the complex intersection of political persecution, urgent medical need, and Canadian immigration policy. With a child’s life hanging in the balance and ongoing threats to their safety in Nigeria, the family faces a deportation that could have devastating consequences.

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Reporting by Ifeoluwa Okonkwo in Lagos, Nigeria.